“It was horrible”: Catholic Priest in Nigeria Recounts June 13 Deadly Attack in Benue State, Appeals for Security Action

“They grouped in the market square and were already burning houses. We didn’t know the magnitude of destruction until later. The entire community was caught off guard,” Fr. Ukum said.

He told ACI Africa that the psychological and spiritual toll on the inhabitants of Yelwata community has been “immense”.

Many parishioners have fled, and most outstations remain inactive, the Parish Priest lamented, and continued, “Aside from the Church here at the center, no other outstation has resumed activities. We have more than seven outstations by the roadside, stretching as far as Nassarawa and the village border; nobody goes there anymore. People are still afraid.”

He further lamented the collapse in regular parish life. He said, “Last Sunday was worse than today. It was totally empty. We used to have over 500, even 700 worshippers. Now, barely 20.”

Fr. Ukum acknowledged the presence of security personnel but stressed the need for proactive operations. “The military is here, yes. But they have to patrol, go into the bushes, and go after the criminals. If not, the entire essence of security is defeated. The people can’t go to the farm. They can’t live their normal lives,” the Catholic Priest said.

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He also lamented the troubling failure in communication among security forces. “The government must give clear directives. The law banning open grazing exists. But if no one enforces it, then it’s useless. The security forces tell us they haven’t been instructed—so who’s in charge?” he posed.

Despite the devastation, Fr. Ukum expressed hope in God’s intervention. “We are afraid, yes. But we are trusting in God. We have the message of eternal hope. We must keep moving forward. We must continue the work,” he said.

The Nigerian Catholic Priest thanked those, who have shown solidarity. He said, “Continue to pray for peace, for the government, for the victims, and for all who are living in fear. We appreciate every effort made, but we also need more than sympathy; we need action.”

He appealed, “Let us not normalize this kind of violence. Let our leaders take responsibility. Let the law be enforced. Only then can we begin to heal.”

Nigeria has been experiencing insecurity since 2009, when the Boko Haram insurgency began with the aim of turning the country into an Islamic state.

Since then, the group, one of the largest Islamist groups in Africa, has been orchestrating indiscriminate terrorist attacks on various targets, including religious and political groups as well as civilians.

The insecurity situation in the country has further been complicated by the involvement of the predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen, also referred to as the Fulani Militia.

In a separate interview, Gabriel Moses, a community leader and survivor of the attack, told ACI Africa, “We want the whole world to see what is happening. We are calling on all Christians to pray. This is not just a human problem. Only God can help us now.”

Gabriel Moses appealed for continued humanitarian support, saying, “We thank those who have sent aid, but more must be done. We need housing, food, and medical support. Our people have been tortured and traumatized. Some lost entire families in a single night.”

He also urged vigilance among residents of Yelwata, and added, “Our young men should not walk alone. They should move in groups, whether armed with cutlasses or anything for self-defense. We need to be vigilant.”

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Even in our pain, Gabriel Moses clarified, the community is not seeking revenge. 

“Let those responsible be held accountable. Let the government identify the real culprits and bring them to book. We don’t want this to repeat itself,” Gabriel Moses told ACI Africa July 4.

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Catholic journalist with passion for Church communication and media apostolate. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Benue State University, Makurdi in Benue State Nigeria. He has a background in print, electronic and multi-media production.